Railroad-joint.



D. B.. GOUPLAND.

RAILROAD JOINT.

APPLIOATION FILED M3422, 190s.

Patented Aug. 17, 1909.

DAVID B. COUPLAND, OF SAN ANGELO, TEXAS.

RAILROAD JOINT.

Speccaton of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 17, 1909.

Application filed April 22, 190s. seriai No. 428,536.

T o all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, DAVID B. CoUrLAND, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Aingelo, in the county of Tom Green and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railroad- Joints, of which the following is a specifica.- tion.

This inifention relates to rail joints, and more particularly to that class known as rail chairs, and has for its object to provide a chair of sections arranged to be quickly and easily engaged with a rail end.

Another objectis to provide such an article which may be formed by being stamped from sheet metal, and which will require no special implements or process in its use.

Another object is to provide such a chair which may be secured to the ties of a railway without the use ot an additional number of spikes.

Another object is to provide such an article which may be manufactured at low cost.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description, and it will be understood that changes in the specific structure shown and described may be made within the scope of the claim and that any suitable materials may be used without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings forming a portion ot this specification, and in which like characters of reference indicate similar parts in the several views Figure 1 is a plan view of the inner section of the chair, Fig. 2 is a similar view of the outer section, Fig. 3 is a top View of' a rail joint engaged in the chair, Fig. l is a side view of a similar joint, Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view of a rail and the present chair engaged therewith on the line of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a similar view on the line 6-6 of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings, there 1s shown a rail chair in two sections 10 and 11 respectively, oppositely disposed and having chair portions 12 and 13 respectivelyextending laterally inward therefrom. The section 10 comprises a blank of heavy sheet material including a plate portion 10 having a series of openings 11 therethrough spaced longitudinally Aof the plate and having its lower portion 17 bent diagonally outward longitudinally of the plate. Two integral chair portions 13 are carried by the edge of the lar openings 15 are formed at the outer ends of the chair portions 12, arranged to receive therethrough a railroad spike. Openings 16 are formed centrally of the chair portions 12 at the point of their junction with the portion 17. The section 11 is similar to the one 12 above described with the exception that there is but one chair portion 13 which is located midway of the blank, as shown.

In shaping the blanks for use, the lower portion 17 of the plates 10 and 11 are bent laterally, and the portions 12 and 13 are bent inwardly thereunder to lie in divergent spaced relation with the lower portion 17 of the plates 10 and 11 to receive the flange of a rail in close engagement therein. The opening 16 thus forms a recess in the edge formed by the folding of said chair portions.

In use, the outer section 10 is disposed in proper position upon the ties, each of the chair portions being located centrally upon a tie, and a tie being arranged midway of the sections. The section 11 is then disposed inwardly 01T' the section 10 with the chair portion 12 extending outwardly of the track and disposed centrally upon the ties midway of the section 11. Rails 2O are then engaged between the sections, the ends of the rails being adjusted midway of the chair portion 13. The rails 2O are provided with spaced openings 21 registering with those 11 in the plates 10 and 11. Bolts 23 are then engaged through the plates and rails and by means of nuts engaged over the bolts the plates 10 and 11 are pressed into close engagement with the web of the rail. Spikes 21 are then driven into the ties through the openings 15, the projecting portions otl their heads being extended inwardly over the adjacent flange engaging portion 17. Spikes are also driven into the ties on the opposite sides of the chairs being adjusted in the recesses formed by the openings 16, the projecting portions of the heads being engaged inwardly.

It will be seen that a rail chair is provided of an effective type which may be quickly and easily adjusted without the use of special tools. There is also provided a firm and rigidv base for the extremities of the rails, and the anges of the rails are firmly held in registry.

Vhat is claimed is A combined sectional rail joint and chair including opposite sections formed of blanks of sheet material each comprising approximately rectangular body portions having respectively laterally extending end tabs and a central tab, the tabs of the one seetion being spaced to receive therebetween the tab of the other said rectangular portions being bent longitudinally to ooengage against a rail Web and fi'ange, said tabs being bent inward beneath the Web engaging portion to form chairs, said rectangular porl tions and tabs having registering openings therethrough adjacent to the bases of the tabs to receive` a spike therethrough against the fiange of a eoengaged rail, said tabs having sin'nlar laterally spaced openings adjacent to their outer ends to receive` spikes therethrough against the flange of a coengaged rail and over the flange-engaging portion of the opposite section.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature, in presence of two Witnesses.

DAVID B. COUPLAND.

lVitnesses ED TAYLOR, JOHN L. STARKIE. 

